The present invention relates to a low-voltage circuit breaker of compact design having the following features:
(a) a housing of insulating material with several parallel chambers;
(b) electrical current paths and a switching mechanism with a control shaft provided in the chambers, the switching mechanism being arranged in a separate chamber; and
(c) a carrier for supporting the components of the switching mechanism.
A low-voltage circuit breaker of this type has become known through the company publication CAT 2-1 TN 2419 (11/1968) of the firm Sace, Bergamo, Italy. In such a switch, the chambers containing the current paths are free of components of the switching mechanism (except for the control shaft connecting them), which is advantageous for the design of the contact-making element and has a favorable effect on achieving a large switching capacity. However, increased expenditures result for the incorporation of the lateral switching mechanism and its coupling to the tripping organs of the switch.
In a further circuit breaker which has become known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,563, the switching mechanism comprises a frame which is fastened to the bottom of the breaker housing. The control shaft and the tripping shaft extend over all chambers of the housing. Here, too, difficulties are encountered in connecting all components to the control shaft or the tripping shaft.